PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL GRANOLA BARS
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Found this sweet & salty snack recipe at Today's Housewife.

1 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1 c. puffed rice cereal
1 c. crushed salted pretzels
1/4 c. ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. chopped dry roasted or honey roasted peanuts
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
3 T. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 c. + 1 T. honey
1/3 c. mini chocolate chips
1/3 c. coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients: oats, cereal, pretzels, flax/wheat germ, brown sugar, flour, and peanuts. Then, add peanut butter and mix with a spoon or your hands to create a rough "dough." This should take about 5 minutes.In a smaller bowl, combine butter, vanilla, and honey. Pour into peanut butter dough and stir to combine completely. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut flakes. Press dough into prepared pan, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. But don't forget the golden rule of granola--it always hardens as it cools, so don't overcook it! Let pan cool completely before cutting, refrigerating for an added chill if necessary. I let my granola bars cool overnight before cutting just to be safe.

SLOW COOKER ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICHES
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I found this recipe on Pinterest via Six Sisters Stuff a while ago and I am craving it so bad today! My husband and I are fans of the spicy little banana peppers (pepperoncini) anyway, so this easy crockpot meal will be a repeat at our house for sure.

3 lb. beef roast
2 packages dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 cup water
1 16-oz jar pepperoncini peppers* (can substitute milder, sweeter peppers if desired)
Hoagie buns

Place roast into the slow cooker. Then add water and dry Italian salad dressing mix. Cook on low setting for 10-12 hours. A couple of hours before serving, take two forks and gently pull apart the beef roast. It should be tender enough so that this is easy. Add the jar of peppers (including liquid) into the slow cooker. Mix the peppers into the shredded beef and continue cooking on low until you’re ready to serve dinner. *I reserve some peppers to put on the sandwiches when I serve them. Serve on toasted buns with desired toppings (additional peppers, cheese, shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, mayo, etc.)

CREAMY GARLIC POTATO CHOWDER
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My husband took my Mom's clam chowder recipe (our favorite) and used it as the base for this soup.  He had some sort of craving for a garlic potato soup so everything was added by taste until he got what his taste buds wanted. Although he tried to keep track of measurements, all amounts are approximate and this soup can be modified to please YOUR taste buds! 

2 T. butter

1/2 large red onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 ribs celery, chopped

3-4 large cloves of garlic, minced (2 tsp)

4 Medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 c. broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 bay leaf

4 oz cream cheese, softened (can use this or cream)
2 c. milk

1 T. cornstarch

To Taste (amounts are approximate)

½ tsp. dried dill

½ tsp. seasoning salt

1 T. Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

In a large pan, sauté onions, carrot, and celery in butter over medium heat, until they are tender crisp. Add garlic and bay leaf and sauté for another 30 - 60 seconds. Add broth and potatoes and let simmer until potatoes are cooked through, stirring occasionally. While potatoes are cooking, in a separate pan mix milk, cream cheese, and cornstarch until smooth and heat until mixture thickens. When potatoes are cooked, remove bay leaf, and add milk mixture to the vegetables and heat through.

Can serve with bits of cooked bacon and/or a little grated cheese on top.

Optional: Remove it from the heat and blend it with an immersion blender for a smooth texture or mash with potato mashed for a less chunky soup.